Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss apple slices in a bowl with sugar, brandy (if using), tapioca and cinnamon to make filling. Let sit while making dough.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in 1 cup butter until mixture is the size of peas. Separate egg. In a small bowl, mix together milk and egg yolk. Slowly incorporate into flour mixture and form dough into a ball, trying not to overmix. Divide in half. On a floured board, roll half of dough into a 15-by-11-inch rectangle. Transfer to a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan. Stir apples and spread evenly on top of dough. Dot with 2 tbsp. butter. Roll out remaining dough into a 14-by-10-inch rectangle. Center over apples and crimp edges.

Beat egg white until stiff and spread over top crust with a pastry brush. Place strudel in oven and bake 40 minutes or until deep golden brown. While strudel is baking, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice until there are no lumps. Drizzle strudel with glaze as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool 20 minutes before serving.